


We Were Kids Together

by QueennorKing



Series: RGB Trio [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Hurt/Comfort, Lea and Kairi are still on the cusp of friendship, Other, Post-Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance, Pre-Kingdom Hearts III, Pre-Relationship, Reader-Insert, Yuffie makes an appearance for plot reasons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-10-12 21:14:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17475083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueennorKing/pseuds/QueennorKing
Summary: Lea had two friends growing up. One is being used as a puppet by a crazy old coot, and the other disappeared when Radiant Garden fell. He doesn't like to think about what that means, but Radiant Garden hardly feels like the home he once knew with them gone.





	1. Don't Forget

**Author's Note:**

> If I have to fill the void in my heart myself I'll do it.  
> The first chapter uses they/them pronouns when talking about the reader/insert, and second chapter uses you.  
> Want a way to add your name instead of using Arin? Use interactivefics, it has made my life so much easier: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/interactivefics/pcpjpdomcbnlkbghmchnjgeejpdlonli?hl=en  
> Also, I made a playlist because I'm in too deep. You can listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUS2qy3rdeBKsjX_0xw-2kpWsDRlXLqln

The last time he saw them, the darkness came. 

It was a normal day, up until that point. Another spring day, the end of school looming ever closer on the horizon. Another day restless in the classroom, eyes always drifting out the window or to the scrawling doodles on the margins of their notebook, or sneaking notes off his when he missed what the teacher said. Another lazy afternoon being with his two best friends as they struggled over homework until giving up and horsing around instead.

The last time they would sit together eating ice cream, watching the same sun lower over the horizon.

They had smiled, lips blue and happy, and so did he, and so did he, but then they noticed the sun was gone all too fast.

After that - 

It was flooding, fast, furious. It swallowed everything in its path and they  _ ran _ . They ran and ran, while they heard it closing in behind them, until they came to the fence - 

They stayed behind to help Isa up and over the fence. Then it was Lea, who scrambled up and turned, giving them his hand. They took it, but the darkness, with its too many hands and too many yellow eyes had caught up. 

He couldn’t breathe. Their hand was slipping - their foot was eaten - 

“Run!” 

And they shoved him back. And it was all in vain. 

Radiant Garden wasn’t half of what it once was, but there were places that resembled what he once called home.The castle was there, looming over them, but what once was surrounded by fields of flowers that  _ they  _ had whittled their days in were no more. 

It was a bittersweet feeling, it lingered on his tongue and squeezed his heart. For so long he didn’t have a heart to miss it, but here it was, but it wasn’t. 

Lea crossed his arms over his chest, lost in his own thoughts and memories. Not only was his home barely recognizable, but the two people who made it home to him weren’t there. It was just the icing on the cake, wasn’t it? 

Isa was gone, a puppet. And Y/N? 

His fingers clenched around his arm. You never showed up. And he knew what happened to people who didn’t become Nobodies. 

“Lea?” 

He flinched, but relaxed when Kairi appeared out of his peripheral. He tried to keep the regret from showing on his face. There was no need to make her any more uncomfortable with all of his apologies.

“Yeah?” He asked, then cleared his voice when he heard it crack.

She frowned at him, but there was no more chilliness in her eyes. “You’ve just been out here a while.” She crossed her arms behind her back, her brow knit. “Are… you okay?”

Instead of trying to meet her eyes, he watched the chipped pavement instead. “Mm? Yeah, just,” He ran a hand through his hair, “needed some air. It’s cramped in there.” He nodded down the road. The fondly named Leon Squad headquarters was just out of sight. 

He caught movement behind them and turned in time to see Yuffie take a seat on the roof above him. “Hey there, Lea, Kairi.” She grinned. “Haven’t seen a guy around here have you?”

Kairi raised an eyebrow. “What kind of guy?”

“Oh, they’re about yea tall.” She got up stood on her toe and held her hand out above them. “Wears green, has some big yoyos shaped like stars.”

Lea stiffened. Memories flashed by his eyes faster than he could blink.

Yuffie waved her hand around nonchalantly. “They’ve been in and out of the Garden for a while, but we heard that they’re back! Since there’s this talk about a big war coming, Leon’s wondering if they’ll stick around to help protect this place like they did a year ago when all those heartless swamped us.”

Kairi shook her head with a shrug. “Sorry, I haven’t seen them.”

But Lea turned to give the ninja his full attention. “What else?” He asked, trying not to sound as panicked, and dare he say, hopeful as he was. 

She tapped her chin and thought. “... Oh!” She snapped. “They tag the walls sometimes. Usually lots of red and blues, and flowers too.”

His heart raced inside his chest, beating hard against his lungs and reaching to shake his fingers. “What about a name?” He asked, then it tripped over his teeth before he could catch it. “Is it Y/N?”

This time she shook her head, and he felt his shoulders fall, but then she paused. “Nooo. It’s something like that, though.” She put her hands on her hips. “So, have you seen ‘em?”

He shook his head numbly, a bead of sweat rolled down his temple. 

Yuffie deflated with a sigh. “That figures. Well, you can usually find them if you follow the graffiti, if you want to help us look. Bye!” She waved, then was gone across the rooftops. 

A moment passed, maybe more, maybe less, he couldn’t tell you. It felt like all his hopes that he had been trying so hard to suffocate had just taken it’s first breath. 

Kairi leaned over, watching his stunned, vacant expression carefully. “Lea?”

Suddenly, he began to move, eyes jumping everywhere. Even if it was a chance, just the sliver of a chance that it could really be - 

And he saw it, past an archway there was a wall painted with flowers. And he ran. 

He hadn’t felt like this is so long, and yet it was all too familiar. The lump in his throat, the slam of his feet on the pavement shocking his lungs, the insistent beat, loud and alive against his ribs. He was only dimly aware of the pair of feet behind him, Kairi, probably making sure he didn’t just up and get caught in a mob of Heartless when he was still the greenest novice with a keyblade. 

They came to the shadow of the archway and his pace slowed as familiar notes graced his ears. The rattle of spray paint being shook joined the humming, then it hissed long, then stopped, then again, shorter this time. 

He tried to fight the momentum as his legs took him forward into the alley. The humming stopped short at his arrival and they turned to face him. 

His heart stopped. Full stop. His breath was gone, his mind was white noise. He was crying and he didn’t even know why.

“Y/N?”

They didn’t react, only frowned harder. There was little recognition and no warmth. And, god, he didn’t want to know what that look meant but the words had already reached his ears. 

“Who are you?”


	2. I'm With You in the Dark

Lea’s knees felt weak. Whenever thoughts of you drifted into his mind, he always pushed the wonder away. Of where you were, of what kind of person you grew up to be, what you must look like now, if you were even alive. And suddenly, all those whispered questions had fallen into his lap, and the answers were only two yards away.

Even though it felt like his heart was shriveling up in the wake of your hard eyes, he could only describe you as beautiful and handsome. Even after years, ten at _least_ , he could still recognize the resemblance between you and that awkward teenager he once was in -

“What?” He whispered. “Y/N, don’t you recognize me?”

It was that nightmare all over again. Why does everyone forget?!

You stepped back, wary and cautious. Eyes flicking from him to the nearest exit.

“We were kids together.” He continued, pleading. “We grew up together, don’t you remember me? I’m Lea!” His hands were shaking at his sides, but he fought the effort to ball them into fists. “We were best friends, you, me, and Isa. We lived here, we were friends since we were little! We -”

_We watched the sunset together._

_We walked home together, just you and me._

_We were in highschool and we were an almost something._

You didn’t seem convinced, and your expression remained hardened, and yet, you hesitated. “You’re with the Organization.” You said, then briefly glanced curiously at Kairi. “I thought they were gone.”

Shit - he was still wearing the cloak - shit, fuck - “They are - they’re kinda gone.” He corrected. “But I’m not with them anymore, believe me. They really want to kill me, but - “ _But Isa’s with them._

You glanced again at Kairi, who stood just outside the archway. She remained quiet, watching the scene unfold with uncomfortable shock.

You shook their head again, “Nice try.” You said, then turned to leave. “Don’t follow me.”

The string holding Lea up snapped. He fell to his knees, a hollow ache, burning and alone was eating him up inside. Tears ran down his cheeks and he squeezed his eyes shut, unable to watch you leave.

Then, the notes of a song you only barely remembered fell on your ears. The voice and the words filled you up, and you stopped in your tracks. For so long it had eluded you, always just out of reach, on the tip of your tongue, the words never came.

You turned to the man with the familiar red hair, curled in on himself on the chipped stone. He sang, his voice warbling with the flood of his emotions. And somewhere, you felt sun on your cheek, heard the crisp movement of curtains as they flowed in the breeze from an open window. Keys under your fingers as you sang with someone you was always beside you.

He opened his eyes and raised his gaze to meet yours as the last note fell from his lips. Only when you felt a drop roll off your chin did you realize you were crying too.

Lea dared to feel hopeful when he saw you staring at him. “That was our song.” He whispered hoarsely. “We wrote it when we were kids. Just you and me.”

“I - “ You sucked in a sharp breath. “I don’t remember.” You stepped closer, holding your hand to your heart. “I don’t remember anything, I - I - “

_All I know is that I’ve been looking for someone. Someone who was a lot like you._

Lea got up on fawn legs, hesitantly reaching for you. His heart was splitting. Again, and again, it was always like this somehow. He never knew how to fix it, or how to help it. The last time this happened, he tried to kill his best friend.

“That’s okay,” he said, holding out his hand. “We can figure this out.”

You stepped closer, considering his outstretched hand. Then, Kairi stepped forward. “I think I can help with that.” She said, an idea bright in her eyes.

You watched her stand between the two of you. “Give me your hand, Lea.” And waited until he placed his hand in hers with a skeptical eye. “Now yours.” She asked you.

Watching her heavily, you put your hand in hers. She put Lea’s hand over yours and said with an encouraging smile, “Now close your eyes.”

You and Lea looked each other in the eye. “Alright.” He murmured, then closed his eyes. You followed suite.

When you opened them, it was you and Lea, alone in a void of darkness. A jolt of fear raced up your spine, but then you saw him. Really saw him. Something deep inside you clicked into place.

He was younger now, no tired lines etched under his eyes, just a bit shorter than you. His dark clothes were gone, replaced by lots of bright orange that made you feel lighter just looking at it. But the eyes were still older, and they were filling up with tears.

Your eyes fell on your joined hands, and you were shocked to find your hand was smaller, less calloused. Looking down at yourself you were greeted by a familiar jacket and shoes and shorts and when you smelled the hood it was - it was -

Your lungs pitched with your sob. “ _Lea_.” You said on shaking lips.

His whole face lit up with relief and hope and adoration that you could feel reflected on your own. You pulled each other in and you threw your arms around his neck and his hands wrapped around your back. You pressed your face into his shoulder and it was safe and warm. And you knew you had done this so much before, you just didn’t remember until now.

So many locks were coming undone, you just had to find the right key.

You opened your stinging eyes to be greeted to the quiet alley in Radiant Garden. You were both still holding each other, and he was so much taller now, but he was still Lea. Neither of you were the same kids that once walked these not-same streets, but that’s okay.

For so long you had been searching. And now, you no longer had to, and the weight you struggled under finally lifted off your chest.

“We’re home.” You whispered into his shoulder, wet with your sobs.

Lea looked up, face still buried in your hair, tears trailing down his cheeks. The field of flowers painted on the wall seemed to come alive under the sun.

“Yeah.” He smiled. “Guess we are.”


End file.
